Pregnancy Update.

Well here we are sitting pretty at 35 Weeks and I think Poppyseed has dropped because I don't feel in my ribcage as much and my lower back feels a little tweaked more than usual. However, I would gladly pick the lower back pain over having her in my ribcage because the back pain is so much easier for me to alleviate and prevent and I'll tell you why:

Apparently a lot of the aches and pains of the last trimester are the result of poor posture and our culture's more sedentary lifestyle as compared to how women lived throughout history. Changing ones lifestyle from sedentary to active during the last few months of pregnancy has its challenges, but correcting posture should be easier, but it takes effort and discipline. (I'm so glad I took up Ballroom Dancing when I came to college). As some may know, posture has not been my friend for most of my life. When I was in middle school I had a mild form of scoliosis that was corrected after wearing an easily concealed back brace for a year. Nevertheless good posture remained a foreign thing to me. When I came to college I learned techniques for putting myself in better posture from ballroom dancing classes and workshops. There I learned a particularly helpful tip of how to "walk underneath your body"

This way of walking is very helpful to pregnant women as it keeps you from "waddling" which causes a lot of the bodily aches women suffer from in their last months of pregnancy. Instead of waddling, when you stand or walk tuck your bum in so that your pelvis faces forward more (this is half the battle of having good posture by the way). Keep your bum tucked in as much as possible--this takes work but you get used to it more. If you have lower back pain, try tucking in and see if that does not alleviate the pain--most often it will. Next when you're walking, keep your legs underneath you by keep them close together so that your thighs and knees just brush each other and take smaller steps. Also concentrate on putting the heel down first. This is a much more graceful way to walk and it's better on your body. The next time you're out and about you might notice how people walk, most people have: a wide stance, take large steps, bums jutting out, and just general "lumbering" around. (I've noticed this particularly in women my age wearing high heels).

Other than that pregnancy is pregnancy, but not miserable. Braxton hicks contractions mixed with acid reflux are no picnic, but I bought some TUMS the other day at the store, and my body immediately--true to form--decides to mellow out the moment I spend money on it. I'm still able to get a good night's sleep mingled with 3-4 bathroom breaks in the night--but that's been standard practice the past 8 months so no complaints there.  And now I have little bit of swelling, but no stretchmarks (thank you genetics!). Sadly I surpassed my weigh gain limit of 25 lbs weighing 28lbs heavier than prepregnancy me at my last check up (sweets have become ever so much more irresistible now), but that was right before I started my semester at school and I've done a lot more walking since then so hopefully that will balance out.

Yes I am school taking a wopping 5.5 credits, German (4), Art Seminar (.5), and FA 100 (1). A couple of my art history teachers have encouraged me to come and sit in on a couple of their classes when I am able--and I try to be able as possible because I really enjoy it.

So I cannot complain, I do get tired of lugging a belly around but hey it's called PREGNANCY and besides that life was never meant to be the Garden of Eden so I'll take my little inconveniences over what I've heard other women go through any day.